Could you picture yourself having to honour a promise that your ancestors made to someone decades ago?
Have you ever wondered? Who are the folks that you frequently see by the side of the road selling iron utensils and household tools. These individuals often settle down there temporarily, sometimes even bringing their entire family with them. While most people assume these individuals are nomads, they are actually very unique individuals who lead miserable lives in harsh environments. In fact, they are very close to Maharana Pratap. They are the people of the Gadia Lohar community.
Commonly referred to as Gaduliya Lohar or just Lohar, the Gadia Lohar community is a nomadic community that resides in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh.
The people of this community used to travel from place to place with their families on bullock carts, which are called Gaadi in Hindi, which is why they were named 'Gadiya Lohar,' according to writer Cobas Puente's "The Gaduliya Lohars: India's wandering blacksmiths," which was published in the UNESCO Courier in October 1984. According to what he writes, the Gadiya Lohar community's ancestors were blacksmiths in the Mewar army. They also claim to be the descendants of Maharana Pratap, who fled into the forest after the Mughals captured Mewar and met people there who assisted them and there families.
Before leaving Chittorgarh and wandering in the forest, Gadiya Lohar swore to Maharana Pratap that if he failed to retake Chittorgarh, his family would never return to his motherland, settle down somewhere, or live in one place again. He also promised that his family would never share one roof again until he win Chittorgarh. Unfortunately, Maharana Pratap was never able to win Chittor. For this reason, the people of Lohar continue to honour their pledge to the Maharana and refuse to establish permanent residences or settle down in one area.
The Gadia Lohars are a nomadic tribe renowned worldwide for their exceptional and diligent work. The tribe members spend their entire lives travelling and camping by the side of the road, where they still construct mud homes. The Gadia blacksmiths, who formerly forged weapons for Maharana Pratap, now spend their entire day crafting iron tools in order to get two meals a day.
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 "Meet Gadia Lohar, who made weapons for war, once promised to Maharana Pratap, still…")
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